Device for protecting automobile robes



Jan. 30, 1923.

G C. McKlBBIN.

DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AUTOMOBILE ROBES.

FILED NOV. 16, 1921.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 30, 1923.

UNITED [STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE o. McKIBBIN, or WHITE PLAINS, nnw YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 nonzornuro ROBE coaroanrron, onnnw YORK, n. 2., A coaronarron on nnmiwaan.

nnv'r'cn roR-rno'rno'rme AUTOMOBILE noBEs.

Application filed November 16, 1921. Serial No. 515,675.

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. MQKIBBIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at White Plains, in the .county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Device for Protecting Automobile Robes, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention, is primarily, a device for protecting automobile robes against theft but further serves to normally maintain the robe in the car in concealed position and in compact, sanitary condition. g

It is a general practice of the more careful automobilists, when not using" the lap robe, to hang it in folded condition over a rack usually provided on the back of the front seat, while, the careless motorists not infrequently leave the robe lying in rumpled condition on'the floor of the tonnea-u. In

either instance, the robe becomes soiled and,

rapidly accumulates dust and impurities so that it becomes untidy .and a menace to health. 1

With these considerations in mind, the objectof the present invention is to provide a robe which will be normally concealed in compact condition within an attractive, sanitary and substantially dust proof casing, in which the robe may be normally locked against withdrawal to preclude theft thereof. When the robe is unlocked, however, it maybe readily drawn from the casing and employed in the usual way, to be replaced after use in the casing in an easy and-expeditious manner. 1

The present invention further contem-; plates the use of a relatively small casing for housing" the robe, and the robe is ofnovel and unique construction which enables it to be folded and thereafter positioned within the casin from the casing for use, the robe may be unfolded so as to provide a broad expanse of adequate size to enable one or more persons to comfortably use the same.

In its preferred practical form, the invention comprises a casing adapted to be mounted in substantially fixed position in the car 1 body. In practice, the'casing may be secured to the back of the front seat or on the floor of the vehicle, or may be supportedin any other suitable and convenient manner. The casing is'provided. interiorly withja springactuated roller to which one'end of However, when withdrawn the robe is adapted to be fixedly secured. The body of the robe is'substantially equal in width to the length of the casing, but said robeis provided with lateral projecting flaps which are adapted to be normally folded toward one another-over the face of thebody' of the robe,and the robe thereupon rolled upon the spring actuated roller within the casing.

lVhen it is desired to use the robe, it isunrolled through a slot in the casing and the flaps are unfolded to impart the. desired width to the robe. After use the flaps "are again folded. and the robe permitted to wind on the roll, after which the robe may be precluded from withdrawal through the slot of the casing by suitable locking means associated therewith.

. Features'of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description. and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to. be understoodas illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the .device of this invention in one of its practical 1 forms, illustrating the robe in normal concealed position. e v

Figure 2 is alike View showing the robe withdrawn from the casing.

Figure 3' is a section on the line 33 of Fi ure 2, and

iigure 4: is a section on the line 4- of Fi ure 1.

ieferring' to the'drawings, 1 designates the casing which, in practice, is preferably metallic. The casing may be of any suitable shape and'may be securely attached to the provided with feet'or brackets-2 through which bolts, screws or other fastening devices may bepassed to mount the casing in position.

Positioned within the casingand coaxial therewith, is a spring actuated roller 3 which maybe constructed inthe same manner as a shade rollerand supported from 'the'l.op-- positerends of the casin w way. To this roller .3 is, end of the lap robes and said laprobe 1s.

mly secured one in any suitable adapted to be wound on said roller or off of the same through the slot extending longitudinally of the casing.

The body of the lap robe 4 is substantially equal in width to the length of the slot 5 but is' provided along its side edges with flaps 6. These flaps may be formed integral with the mayor the robe or may be sewed thereto if desired, and are foldable from the full line positions of Figure 2 to the. dotted line positions. thereof. llvhen in the full line positions they may, if dcsired, be secured in these positions by means of cooperatingmale and female snap fastoners T. The male snap fasteners may be mounted on the flaps 6 andthe cooperating female fasteners may be sewed or otherwise secured to the body of the robe so that when the flaps are turned in, said male. and female fasteners may be brought into. co operative relation to maintain the flaps in folded condition. When in this. latter condition, the overall width of the robe is sufficiently small to permit the robe to readily pass through the slot 5. and enable the. robe v to be rolled on or unrolled from the spring actuated roller 3. In practice, other forms of attaching means may be employed than snap fasteners 7, which are shown purely for illustrative purposes. Moreover, fastening means may be entirely dispensed with if desired.

The robeand its flaps may be constructed of any desirable material or fabric and this fabric may be waterproof or cravenetted. The, edges of the robe may be suitably faced, but the top edge thereof is preferably provided with a relatively heavy facing. or binding 8 of sufficient thickness to preclude this end of the robe being drawn through the slot 5 into the interior of the casing.

The normal position of the parts is as shown in Figure 1, wherein it will be seen that the robe is entirely concealed Within the casing. but that the facing. '8 extends. in partially exposed position along the slot 5, thereby forming a substantially dus proof seal for the slot'and precluding the entrance! of dust, dirt and other foreign matter into the casing. The'caslng is preferably pro- ,vided atone side of the slot with a pivoted hasp 9 and juxtaposed therewith on the other side of the, slot is a keeper 10, so that when the robe is coiled up within the cats 'ing, the hasp may be brought into coopera- -tive, relation with the keeper and the padlockll associated with the latter as shown in Figure 1. When the hasp is locked in place it will overlie, the slot in such manner as to. preclude the withdrawalof the robe therethrough. If desired, the facing or binding 8 may be provided with a slot 12 as'shown in Figure 2 and the keeper may be passed through this slot. 'The'use of a has'p and 'keeper. enables the robe to. be

locked in the casing in such manneras to preclude theft and is exemplary of any suitable locking means for accomplishing this result. The present invention is not restricted to the specific const uiction described for accomplishing this end.

The robe normally occupies a concealed position within the casing as described and is loc red in this position until such time as it is desired to use the robe, whereupon the person in possession of the proper key may unlock the padlock 11, release the keeper, and permit of the withdrawal of the robe into tne position of Figure 2, whereuponthe fastening members 7 may be releasedand the flaps folded out into the dotted line po sitions. The robe is now ready for use and may be employed in the usual manner. When it is desired to return the robe to concealed position, the flaps 6 are folded into the full line positions of Figure 2, secured in place by the fastening members 7, and the robe thereupon wound on the spring actuated roller 3 and after the manner employed in manipulating the shade on a 0011- ventional form of spring actuated shade roller. I i I In order that access may behad into, the interior of the casing l, to permit authorized removal of the robe from the roller 3 or to enable the removal of the roller, the portion 13 of the circumferenceof the casing 1 is preferably pivoted. asat'l l so as to provide a hinged door. This door 13 may be normally maintained in closed position in any suitable manner, such, for example, as by spring pressed plungers 15 mounted in the opposite ends of the casing and adapted to normally project intopockets 16 formed in bosses or locks 17 positioned at the lateral edges of the door and near the slot .5 as shown best in Figures?) and l. The. spring pressed plungers normally look the doorin closed position, but these plungers can' be manually retracted to release the doQr'so that it may be opened. It will be. noted, however, that the free edge of, the door forms one edge of; the slot, and that the keeper 10 is carried by said door so that when the beep is locked over the keeper, the. door is also looked against opening, even though the spring pressed plungers are retracted, Thus, the door. may be locked in closed position and the robe simultaneously locked against Withdrawal by thev same means exemplified by the ha sp, .9 and keeper 10. a I y l It will be apparent from the f legomg detailed (lQSCPlptlOn that 1- 5311; inven.

tion provides for the normal housing of an automobile robe in. compact and concealed position so that itmay bemainteinedin a sanitary and clean condition and ready stall ime fo use. y an a ho ized perso though pe i ting w er to leek-til Cir roller in such manner as to effectually preclude the theft thereof. By the formation of the robe, with foldable flaps, I am enabled to minimize the length of the casing so that it will not unduly encumber the car and at the same time a relatively large and comfortable robe may be had. In practice, the container is of finished, attractive appearance and adds to, rather than detracts from, the appearance of the car. In some cars, the casing may be mounted on the back of the front seats, while in others it may be mounted on the floor and form a foot rest. In some cases, I prefer to mount the casing on the ordinary foot rest supports and use the same in lieu of the conventional foot rest.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, but I am aware that the same is capable of modification in details of construction, such as by the substitution of equivalents, without departing from the present invention, which is to be understood as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. device for protecting automobile robes embodying an elongated slotted casing, a roll extending longitudinally within the casing and provided at its opposite ends with trunnions for mounting the roll for rotation, a spring housed within the roll and cooperating with one of the trunnions to rotate the roll in one direction, a lap robe extending through the slot in the casing and rolled upon the roll with the inner end of the robe secured to the roll, a door on the casing at one side of the slot to permit the roll to be in serted in and removed from the casing, means for normally maintaining the door in closed position, and locking members one of which is positioned on the door at one side of the slot and the other of which is positioned on the casing at the opposite side of the slot, said members beingadapted to engage one another across the slot and extend through an opening in the robe for the purpose of locking the door in closed position and precluding theft of the robe;

2. A device for protecting automobile robes embodying a casing adapted to be mounted in fixed position on avcar and a portion of the wall of which casing is hinged to permit of access into the interior of they casing, a roller mounted WlthiIlthQ casing, 1 a lap robe one end of which is secured to the roller and which lap robe is adapted to be withdrawn through a slot in the easing into exposed position, means for rolling said robe upon the roller and means for locking the robe against withdrawalfrom the casing and for simultaneously locking the hinged section of the casing against opening.

3. A device for protecting automobile robes embodying a slotted casing, a retainer mounted on the casin at one side of the slot opposite side of the slot and there locked in 7 position to preclude theft of therobe.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification; v

GEORGE o. MoKIBBIN. 

